


Life in Motion

by Tabithian



Series: Nine Lives [7]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 20:43:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Watching the numbers tick down, Tim's starting to wonder if this do-gooder business is all it's cracked up to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life in Motion

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt from loverwren.
> 
> Takes place a few years after earlie fics in this 'verse.

Watching the numbers tick down, Tim's starting to wonder if this do-gooder business is all it's cracked up to be.

“Bet you won't get here in time,” he says, playful list to his voice as he works to defuse the bomb. 

Clever thing, that. Not the usual configuration. If he was the paranoid sort, Tim might even think this one was meant for him to find. A little surprise to liven up his day.

There's an angry snarl from Damian's end, Damian rushing back from the other side of the city. 

Tim likes to do this, sometimes. Fun little wagers between the two of them. Who can take out more thugs, who can disarm the most guards. (Who will make it just in time for a daring rescue.)

“This is quite the quandary, isn't it,” Tim murmurs, more to himself than Damian. “Joker's been busy.”

And Bats don't have such a great track record in these kinds of things, do they? Selina _did_ warn him about that.

“Defuse the bomb, Stray,” Damian snaps, no time for Tim's musings with the city at risk.

Tim eyes the bundle of wires in front of him. Tangle of colors and potential disaster. 

“I'm thinking,” Tim says, laughing at the wordless snarl that earns him from Damian.

Several bombs spread across Gotham, one for each of them. Gracious of Joker to think they'd band together for this instead of being bullheaded and stubborn about the matter, wasting time and endangering lives.

“Did you know,” Tim says, fingers careful as he follows a wire back to its starting point. “That cats only have cones sensitive to blue and green in their eyes?”

Tim smiles at the growled curse from Damian.

“Thief - “

“That means that they see colors in the orange and reds spectrum as gray or purple,” Tim says.

He can _hear_ the moment realization hits Damian. There's more to this than Joker's more immediate plan of death and destruction, something to look into once everything's over. (Or not, depending.)

“Funny thing, though,” Tim says, taking care to separate the wire he wants from the others as he brings the wire cutters close. “Cats can distinguish between more shades of gray than humans can.”

Thus concludes today's Science Corner, brought to you by the misconception that cats are color blind.

Looking back on it now, Joker's mocking advice to cut the red wire makes sense now. At least for Tim, since _all_ the wires are red.

“Wish me luck?” Tim asks, one eye on the timer.

“ _Stray_ \- “

Tim smiles at the strain in Damian's voice.

“I was thinking of that lovely little charity ball next week,” Tim says. “You in one of those tuxedos you love so well, if I win.”

He has to laugh at the aggravated snarl Damian doesn't bother to hide. Poor wording on his part, surely.

“I could wear a suit,” Tim says, time running out. “Maybe a tie. Something designer, of course.”

Distantly Tim hears glass shatter, the sound of running feet.

“You'd lose,” Damian says, voice in stereo as he hits the doorway of the room Tim's in, out of breath and still moving towards Tim.

Tim smiles up at him as he cuts the wire. 

“So I do,” he says, and the timer stops with seconds to spare. 

(This time.)

********

“You look wonderful,” Tim says, reaching up to straighten Damian's bow tie. “Very handsome.”

So very much a Wayne.

Damian growls, teeth bared in what might considered a smile to anyone who didn't know him.

The reporters are out in force tonight, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gotham's most eligible bachelor, now that Selina's managed to snag Bruce. Hoping to catch sight of his mysterious date, rumors flying.

Tim may have lost the bet, but Damian is Damian, and this is _Bruce's_ charity event. If Damian has to suffer through it, he's going to make sure Tim does as well.

“And there's that infamous smile,” Tim says, patting Damian's cheek. “You know how it gets the ladies all a-twitter.”

“Thief,” Damian says, sighing heavily. “You try my patience.”

Tim smiles, inexplicably fond of Damian and his snapping and snarling. 

“So I do,” he says. “So I do.”

After all, what's life without a little risk, a little danger?


End file.
